Harrogate For The Cup

Here's a warning right now - it's another Football blog. I know I know - boring or what. I promise I'm not going to mention the game again for weeks after today so don't give up on me quite yet.

A few weeks back I was going on about what a big deal it was to knock down the Wembley Stadium twin towers, home of the FA Cup Final. Today the reason why the FA Cup is so deeply ingrained into the nations sports fabric came right back into focus. Because it was the last of the Qualifying rounds today. How cool is that.

All you buggers glued to internet commentaries of Premier and Nationwide League footie missed the big story.

Harrogate's two teams are in the first round of the FA Cup thanks to two record breaking results today. They went into the hat with the professionals and could have ended up playing against the likes of Huddersfield and Barnsley in the next round of the greatest sports competition in the world.

I've been watching FA Cup giant killing from the moment I could focus on the TV set. My dad was an avid football guy, playing for the pit team for twenty years before giving it all up for a fishing rod.

I grew up with that Ronnie Radford goal against Newcastle as the ultimate sports moment It still is to my mind...Who could forget a thousand fans clad in olive green Parka coats invading the pitch to mob a guy in the number nine shirt who had just knocked Malcolm McDonald's Newcastle United out of the cup.

For me it all started at the beginning of the season when Wombwell Main Colliery entered the competition. That was my team. Windmill Road, by the station, opposite the Foundry. I don't think a Wombwell team gets close these days. To my knowledge they never made it past the Pre-qualifier but it was the magic of it - that a shower of miners, steelworkers and street sweepers could very possibly go all the way through four rounds of qualifying, and two rounds proper and meet Leeds United or Arsenal.

Harrogate Railway Athletic of the Northern Counties Eastern League drove up the A1 last August to play Whitley Bay as one of 624 clubs in this years competition. It was the beginning of a dream for 2003. A mad cup run that could put Harrogate's second team on the map. Local rivals Harrogate Town are comparitive big boys in the Northern Premier and get all the glory. Last year Railway nearly made the first round proper - much further than either Harrogate football team got at any time last century (and Town were founded in 1914).

The first gameagainst Whitley Bay was a draw. This brought the game back home to Starbeck station for a classic replay. Rail came in with a 5-4 victory and were rewarded with a trip to ESH Winning back in the North East.

This is where the fun started. Harrogate Railway have gone on an extraordinary cup run that has seen a whopping 29 goals in seven matches. They beat ESH 2-1 and were back in Durham a few weeks later for a 5-5 draw with Chester-le-Street. Once again the replay back at the station was a classic. 7-2.

After this Rail took on Unibond League west-coasters Workington and beat 'em 4-0. THis set up today's trip to Crosby, Liverpool where they beat Marine 4-2 to get into today's First Round draw.

29 goals in seven FA cup games! And barely 300 people saw it happen.

Up the Wetherby Road you've got more FA Cup action going on. Town weren't in the competition until Blackburn's Great Harwood made the trip over for a 2-0 beating in September. The big one was next. Accrington Stanley are the form team in the Northern Prem. Still unbeaten they are shoe-ins for promotion this year. But Harrogate Town brought the Stanleys home for a famous 3-2 victory. Town's furthest ever FA cup progression.

This brought them a comparatively easier game today in the 4th Qualifying round and a road trip south to Kings Lynn's Wisbech Town. 2-0. Easy.

And that's how both Harrogate teams entered today's FA cup draw against the big boys. Here at Ayup we're right behind the Harrogate lads, all the way to the final. Yellow and black towners or Red and Green Railers we don't mind who goes all the way...

From now on it's a path to glory. If The Rail keep up their phenomenal goal run they will not only boss Match of the Day they will smash all records.

On November 16th both teams head south on long treks. If you're in Harrogate or Knaresborough get yourself down to support 'em and share a bit of the glory. Town play Conference also-rans Farnborough in Hampshire, and Rail play Slough Town of the Ryman League - who today beat Canvey Island. The money guys at both clubs would have probably preferred a face-off with Wigan Athletic or Stoke City to get a bit of brass out of it.

But a victory put em both one win away from the big Match of The Day giant killing heroism. When they step out down south they'll be walking in the shadow of greatness, and living the great football dream. Sod the big premier League glory boys. THIS is the real deal.

Come on you Gaters!!!!

Blogga.